Nicaragua has been in turmoil for a good portion of 2018, rocked by protests and civil unrest as its citizens protest the government. According to recent report by CNN and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), at least 322 people have been killed and thousands more have been injured–21 being police officers, and 23 others were described as “children or teenagers.” The Nicaraguan government, however, claims the death toll is just 198.
In recent weeks, the United Nations (UN) has released its own report, accusing the Nicaraguan government of violating human rights of the protestors. The government, led by President Daniel Oretaga, has spoken out against those claims and went so far as to expel the UN group from the country. The protests have disrupted many cigar businesses with operations in Nicaragua, from delaying shipments to directly impacting the work force in tobacco farms, fields and factories.
